More Aussies buying online

Australia is seeing a second wave of growth in online shopping, but local retailers aren't missing out, according to a study.

More consumers are buying goods and conducting financial transactions on line, the study of online retail in Australia conducted as part of the World Internet Project (WIP), indicates.

And three out of 10 Aussies now shop online at least once a week.

The study, conducted by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovations and Swinburne University of Technology, looked at online purchasing habits between 2007 and 2013.

"After an apparent plateau between 2009 and 2011, our latest survey confirms that online shopping by Australian consumers grew strongly again between 2011 and 2013," said Dr Scott Ewing of the centre and Swinburne University of Technology.

The average number of online purchases by Australians grew 46.2 per cent from 2011 to 2013, and the monthly value of average purchases grew 5.8 per cent, to $218.

Men spend more online, averaging $229 a month, while women on average spend $204.

"The good news for Australian businesses is that local retailers are maintaining their share of this growth as Australian consumers maintain their strong preference for shopping with domestically based websites," Dr Ewing said.

"Three out of 10 Australians now shop online every week, or more often, compared with two in 10 New Zealanders and one in 10 Swiss.

"There has also been a continued major upsurge in the number of Aussies using the internet for financial transactions.

"For example, people making travel bookings online grew from 49 per cent in 2007 to 73 per cent in 2013; those paying bills grew from 43 per cent to 72 per cent; and those purchasing event tickets from 36 per cent to 65 per cent."

Australians also are increasingly buying digital content such as movies, books, music and games, online rather going to a store.

The WIP is conducted in 30 countries to compare internet use and behaviour.

In Australia, it consists of an annual survey of 1,000 people aged 18 or older and has been running since 2007.